Terence Weldon, a leading member of the Soho Masses Group, has posted on his website, Queering the Church, that Archbishop Nichols and Bishop Conry have agreed to meet with him to discuss plans to expand the influence of the Soho Masses Group. In the same post Terence Weldon makes clear that he holds that the Catholic Church’s teaching that homosexual genital acts are intrinsically disordered is a ‘relatively low order of teaching’. Elsewhere on his website he explains that he has never ‘entertained even a moment’s doubt about the validity of a gay sexual life in faith.’

Terence Weldon explains Bishop Conry and Archbishop Nichols agreement to meet him to discuss expansion of the Soho Masses Group influence in their dioceses:

‘My second commitment, which I’ve not previously disclosed, was to make contact with my local bishop, Kieron Conroy (sic) of Arundel and Brighton, to discuss possible ways to expand LGBT ministry in our diocese. I have finally made a start on this: when +Kieron recently visited our parish for a local celebration, I made a point of introducing myself. Without going into any detail, I did explain my deep interest in provision for LGBT ministry, and asked if I could come and see him, to discuss it. This, he has agreed to. I now need to write to him, and set up an appointment. When I do get to see him, I will ask for his backing for Next Steps workshops in his dioceses – with priests, and with other groups..

Similarly, at the time that the Soho Masses Community were preparing to leave Warwick Street, I wrote to Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, to express thanks for the creative thinking that went into the invitation to integrate with Farm Street, but pointing out that this did nothing for those unable or unwilling to travel to that parish. I asked what provision could be made for those people – and asked if, sometime, I could come to see him to discuss this. Like +Kieron, he agreed. So, that’s another bishop with whom I hope to discuss backing for Next Steps workshops. After I have met with those, I may be ready to look for meetings with others.’

Protect the Pope comment: The Next Steps programme that Terence Weldon intends to discuss with Archbishop Nichols and Bishop Conry derives from the work of New Ways Ministry’s Frank de Benardo which has been condemned by the US Bishops Conference , ‘ in no manner is the position proposed by New Ways Ministry in conformity with Catholic teaching and in no manner is this organization authorized to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church or to identify itself as a Catholic organization.’ It is to be hoped that when Archbishop Nichols and Bishop Conry meet with Terence Weldon that they will bear in mind their collegial union with the US bishops and Terence Weldon’s open defiance of the Church’s teaching on sexual morality.

Why do homosexual Catholics need special ministry? They are treated equally in the eyes of the Church. My own parish in Brighton has a very large number of homosexuals in the congregation. They are all treated with love and compassion by our parish priest. The same love and compassion shown to all in the parish.

What faithful Catholics are offended by is your rejection of Church teaching. This puts the souls of Catholics at risk.

I can’t speak for others but I am offended by anyone who corrupts Church teaching and willingly leads others to occasions of sin.

I’m delighted that in your parish in Brighton, all are treated with love and compassion. That’s terrific (and no, there is no irony intended here). By “expanding ministry”, that degree of inclusion is precisely part of what I mean – and no, LGBT people should not need “special ministry”. The problem is that not all parishes are as welcoming as yours appears to be, and experience on the ground is that a few are distinctly hostile.

A further problem is that while many parishes are indeed supportive and welcoming to all, public perceptions (often aggravated by hostile and prejudices comments on blogsites) can be very different, with the result that many LGBT people will not, on principle, go near a Catholic Church.

THAT is why we need an active plan for ministry – to encourage LGBT Catholics to simply attend a parish, and ensure that once there, they will in fact encounter the “equality in the eyes of the Church” of which you speak.

Just so long as your active plan for ministry includes a commitment by LGBT participants to Catholic truth, unanimously accepted by Tradition and founded on Sacred Scripture, that homosexual acts are gravely disordered and a serious depravity.

Mr Weldon – you should not be allowed to engage in any form of ministry in connection with the Church. You encourage sin and dissent from the teachings of the Church.

In our parish, all are welcome. Be they homosexual or otherwise. Our parish priest teaches nothing other than that given to us by Holy Mother Church.

Jesus had plenty of time for adulterers and other sinners however he did tell them to “go and sin no more”. Homosexual acts are sinful. Your “ministry” should be encouraging those with same sex attraction to lead chaste lives – not to celebrate sin.

ALL of us sin. Unfortunately your own website indicates that you refuse to repent of some of your own sins. This is why you are such a great cause of scandal to the Church.

You clearly reject the teachings of the Church – why do you have to endanger the souls of others? You are treading the path to apostasy.

@Terence Weldon, or the author of the above texts attributed to you: the only service that the Church could provide in regard to you is a major exorcism, should you lose contentment with your current state.

I wonder if either of these bishops would so readily agree to meet a concerned orthodox Catholic. I am sure that this is intended to be a ‘kick in the pants’ to those of us who are supposed to ‘hold our tongues’ and who are not sufficiently ‘loving’ in our blogs and comments. It is outrageous. Can I suggest petitioning Rome to remove them both? Such a petition would attract thousands of signatures.

It’s the sin of posting on this website first thing in the morning when it’s so dark and overcast outside that I can hardly see the keyboard. The sin is consummated when the index finger hits the ‘t’ key which is next to the ‘y’ key. Hence it reads ‘defting’ and not ‘defying’.

The standard penance is to say three Martina Navratilovas and one Julian Clary.

There’s a lot of intimidatory spin going on here; or perhaps it’s sheer bravado. It is Mr. Weldon’s raison d’être.
I’m not a fan of either ++Nichols or +Conry but I’d guess their response is a standard one when being ear-bashed by a pushy lobbyist.
What should be clear to both men is that one concession will never be enough. They need look no further than secular legislation. I am sure that neither would want to be responsible for giving their blessing to an exclusive fringe church which, of course, would be no church at all.

Once again, let us write polite letters to the Nuncio. Comments by Mr Weldon suggests that once a person indulges in a homosexual lifestyle, it is difficult to get out of it. Hence the critical importance of the apostolate of Fr John Harvey.

Before the Conclave there was talk of a “Gay Mafia” in Rome, it was part of the “Curia is rotten to the core” rhetoric.

After the O’Brien revelation in Scotland there are repeated allegations of a “Gay Mafia” in Scotland. There are rumours of a “Gay Mafia” in Westminster Diocese. Perhaps there is Gay Mafia in England and Wales too. Who can tell? Who can do anything about it?

Terry Weldon is plain disingenuous. Whether or not he is expanding the influence of the Soho Masses group or what he calls ‘ministry to LGBT Catholics’ the simple fact of the matter is that he publicly and obstinately dissents from Catholic moral and doctrinal teaching, and therefore is in no position to ‘minister’ to others or help them arrive at the truth. He doesn’t agree with any aspect of Catholic teaching on homosexuality – just look at his blog. He is using a model of ‘ministry’ which has been condemned by the USA hierarchy. He is not extending ‘Catholic ministry’, he is extending dissent from Catholic teaching – that is what others find offensive.

This shows that the ‘Courage GB’ group, the group for faithful Catholics with same-sex attraction, is more needed than ever.
I understand that Abp Nichols has shown Courage GB some degree of support, but he needs to get off the fence about this issue. He can’t be all things to all men and support dissent and orthodoxy at the same time, and hope that all will be well. He is responsible for ensuring that correct moral teaching is given on Catholic premises in his diocese. It won’t be given by Terry Weldon, that is a fact.

Rifleman819,
If you think the QTC blog is disturbing, it pales into comparison with some of the other ‘LGBT Catholic’ blogs that Terry Weldon links to and promotes on QTC. A couple of years back, a letter from someone in Westminster Diocese to Bishop Longley was made public on a Catholic blog. Bishop Longley had, in The Tablet, publicly criticised those who prayed in reparation outside the Warwick Street Soho Masses, and the writer of the letter took him to task over this and gave solid proof, among many other things, that Terry Weldon, who was at that time an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at Warwick Street, had promoted another ‘LGBT Catholic’ blog on QTC which contained hardcore gay pornography and sickening blasphemies regarding Our Lord Jesus Christ – and when I say sickening, I mean really sickening. Truly demonic stuff. I am aware that a copy of that letter was sent to Abp Nichols – it doesn’t seem to have stopped him from encouraging Weldon. Both Abp Nichols and Bp Conry need to look at the facts where this man is concerned.

I don’t think it charitable or profitable to speculate about whether someone has ‘something on him’, rather accept his decisions at face value, that he is acting according to what he judges the right thing to do. The question of whether his actions and judgments accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church is another matter, and we have every right to raise these questions. Deacon Nick.

Indeed -I was only recapitulating what another had theorised earlier on -I stated I don’t know ….but are there other reasons unknown to us why ABW is very short with traditional Catholics on homosexuality and other matters yet so pliant and hand ringing with Mr Weldon and crew?

After all the parishioners of his Archdiocese keep VG Nichols in not inconsiderable comfort……..but what is he doing to earn it?
We all accepted Keith O’Brien at face value, didn’t we?

I would agree with the Deacon that we should not easily speculate about whether someone is being blackmailed or not. However, when I speculated about possible blackmail in this case, I was simply trying to find a reasonable explanation for Abp Nichols behaviour.

Part of the answer, I would venture, has to do with the fact that Mr Weldon’s masses draw the punters in. They are popular standing-room only events. Putting aside speculation as to other motives, I would have thought that any priest would have a natural reluctance to pull the plug on something popular especially if the result would be a large group of people loosing all contact with the church.

I am not defending VG Nichols and I have serious concerns about his judgement, but in the spirit of charity I think we should recognise that it is entirely legitimate for a priest to refrain from going in all guns blazing which he sees that that would result in the astrangement of a large number of people from the church. Clearly that consideration should not over-ride other considerations as it may well be doing here, but I would point out that although I think VG Nichols is wrong, we can see laudable motives behind his action and there is no need to propose blackmail or other conspiracy theories.

Vincent Nichols strikes me as a decent but imperfect man trying his best in difficult circumstances.

‘Popularity’ isn’t the issue here – orthodoxy is. The Church cannot support dissent just because something is ‘popular’ (and in any event, the Soho Masses weren’t/aren’t as popular as Mr Weldon & Co would have us think – by his own admission the second Soho Mass at the new venue in Farm St pulled in 70 people. Bearing in mind that Weldon himself says that the people who attend come from a very wide area, some travelling a long way, we clearly aren’t talking about legions here). If a group of people are using the Mass as a platform to promote dissent from Church teaching (which is what was happening at Warwick Street) then any bishop/priest worth their salt would stop it, and provide pastoral care in accordance with Church teaching. If the people concerned are not interested in receiving pastoral care in accordance with Church teaching (which the SMPC wouldn’t be, as it’s raison d’etre is dissent) then there’s not a lot you can do other than pray for them. When some refused to accept Our Lord’s teaching on the Eucharist, Scripture states that ‘they walked with him no more’. He didn’t run and pander after them and set up a para-church to accommodate their refusal to accept His teaching. Neither should our bishops and priests.

I know +Kieran and think the world of him. He is not the man he is often spun as being on the web. To be fair, in this case, all he has agreed to is to meet the man, which is quite right. He hasn’t actually supported the guy’s agenda in any way.

Homosexual acts are wrong whether commited by a lay person or a cleric
and we should not pander to them.
Please Mr Weldon pack up this nonsense,repent and live a good normal catholic life in accordance with theachings of the Church. Don’t lead anymore souls to Hell

I’m not surprised at all. I created a short video with Mr. Weldon two years ago. Since then I’ve finished my studies and moved back home, but I still remember those faithful souls praying outside of the church. Thank God we don’t have a group in our diocese promoting sodomy, but the mystical body of the Church is surely suffering. At that time I’ve already raised my concerns this concept of “gay masses” can serve as a blueprint for wider disobedience and what do we see two years later? Frankly, I don’t understand how is it possible they are still allowed to promote disobedience within the Church?! If you want to check the clip, here it is:

Thank you for being alert to my recent post on ABW’s actions/inactions regarding the Soho Masses Group and Mr.Weldon.

As I mentioned to Deacon Nick…. the previous media revelations on Keith O’Brien’s alleged behaviour in the past means that, in dealing with this contentious group , we need now to rule out nothing about our present episcopal leadership.
ABW ‘s overall stances on so many areas of tradition are an enigma wrapped in a conundrum.